A yellow ribbon and Christmas decorations on the Mechanicville home of Anthony Denier, a Marine killed in Afghanistan over the weekend. (Dennis Yusko/Times Union)

A yellow ribbon and Christmas decorations on the Mechanicville home of Anthony Denier, a Marine killed in Afghanistan over the weekend. (Dennis Yusko/Times Union)

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A picture collage of the late Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony Denier, 26, who was killed Saturday while serving in Afghanistan. (Dennis Yusko/Times Union)

A picture collage of the late Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony Denier, 26, who was killed Saturday while serving in Afghanistan. (Dennis Yusko/Times Union)

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Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Mary Morgan, right is joined by her daughter Maria Betts on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012 as she holds a photo of her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Mary Morgan, right is joined by her daughter Maria Betts on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012 as she holds a photo of her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday. ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Maria Betts, holds photos of her brother Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday in an undated photo from his mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday in an undated photo from his mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday in an undated photo from his mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday in an undated photo from his mother's home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Mary Morgan speaks about her son Anthony Denier who was killed in Afghanistan yesterday on the front porch of her home in Mechanicville, N.Y. Dec 3, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Marine Anthony Denier, 26, of Mechanicville was killed on Saturday in Afghanistan.

Marine Anthony Denier, 26, of Mechanicville was killed on Saturday in Afghanistan.

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Son's call never came

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MECHANICVILLE — Marine Corps Infantryman Anthony Denier told his mother Saturday night how well he was doing in Afghanistan and promised to phone her in the morning. Mary Morgan awoke at 6 a.m. Sunday, but her son's call never came. An hour later, she heard a knock on her door and spotted two uniformed officers at the Grove Street apartment she shared with her son.

Deep inside, Morgan knew the meaning of their visit. It's the knock every military family dreads. Morgan teared up and invited the men inside. The Marines sat down and gently informed Morgan that her son had been shot by enemy fire while on patrol with fellow Marines in the Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, Morgan said. The shocked mother recounted the story to members of the media for a few minutes on Monday out of respect for her son's memory.

"I am extremely proud of my son," Morgan said, standing on her porch.

Denier graduated from Mechanicville High School and lived with his mother in an apartment building in the middle of this small Saratoga County city. He tried his hand at odd jobs after high school but didn't find his passion until joining the Marines about 18 months ago, family members said.

They last saw Denier in early October, when the Marine came home for a one-week visit before deploying Oct. 26 with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, an infantry unit, his mother said. Denier, 26, wanted to serve in Afghanistan, she said.

"He wanted to be out front," Morgan said. That he died doing what he loved made his death somewhat easier to accept, she added. Details from the military about how Denier was killed were not available Monday.

Morgan last heard from her son over the weekend in a private Facebook message. On Monday, her daughter, Maria Betts of Gloversville, mourned with her. The two welcomed visitors to Grove Street and started making funeral arrangements for Denier.

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Betts said the family plans to bury her brother in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. "We're all still in shock," she said. The duty officers remained with Morgan for part of Sunday night until her brother came for support, and they returned on Monday. Mayor Anthony Sylvester, who came to comfort Morgan on Monday, said the city would turn out for Denier when his body returned to his hometown, probably at the end of this week.

As a child, Denier was protective of his two sisters, and he always loved going to the shooting range with friends. He had a quiet demeanor, "unless he had something to say," his mother said. Denier's friends would often turn to him for advice, and he shunned the spotlight, Morgan said. She said Denier worked hard to enter the Marines and overcame every obstacle in his way.

"He fought for what he got," Morgan said.

The Marine Corps turned Denier into a wise and strong man, family members said. "My brother's motto was 'Go hard, or go home,'" Betts said.

Denier's death served as a cold reminder that American troops remain at risk in Afghanistan. Rafael A. Nieves Jr., a soldier who graduated from Guilderland High School, died in Afghanistan at age 22 last July, when he was shot in the chest as he manned the top of a tank. Denier marks at least the 22nd service member from the Capital Region to die in Iraq and Afghanistan since the wars started 11 years ago.

"This a terrible waste of a young life," Sylvester, said. "To lose a child is about the worst tragedy you could possibly have."